System for extinguishing fires.



No. 638,9". Patented Dee. 12, 1899. E. CROCHERN.

SYSTEM FOB EXTINGUISHING FIRES.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1898.) (No model.) 2 sheets-sheet l'.

)VITA/6666 /A/l/E/VTE 991mm Dec. l2, |999.

E. cRocHERoN.

SYSTEM FR EXTINGUISHINJI` FIRES.l

(Application led Oct. 14, 189B.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 2.

MOM/5565s TH: mams Firms co, PNoToumo.. wAsmNaToN, D. c.

'provement in Systems for Extinguishing PATE SYSTEM FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,9I1, dated December 12, 1899.

Serial No. 693.519. (No model.)

To w w/tom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD CROCHERON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county ot IVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Im- Fires; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the sam e, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specificetion.

Myinvention relates to a new and improved system for extinguishing fires and to devices for use therein. The system in use now consists in smothcring or pounding out a Fire by a great volume of water discharged directly upon the fire and usually from a great distance. The great distance necessary to throw the water is due to the fact that the firemen are unable to approach the fire on account of smoke and heat.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby one or more firemen may approach a re notwithstanding the volume ot' smoke produced thereby or the heat generated. -The means employed by me for this purpose consist in employing the full volume of water that can be carried by the ordinary hose or supply-pipe in the form of a wall or cloud of water in advance of the firemen, the water being divided or sprayed to such an ex'- tent as to cause it to practically fill the space attacked by the firemen.

I am aware that the employment of a spray to extinguish a fire is neither new nor of any particular value in the judgment of experienced firemen, and I do not claim the use of a spray merely as such.

In the drawings, Figure I represents a building within which fire is burning attacked by firemen employing my system. Fig. II represents a form of nozzle that may be employed for the purpose.

In the drawings, Fig. I, on the right, a single fireman is represented as employing a discharge of water so expanded as to completely lill the room from the end. On the left two firemen are represented as attacking the fire from the side where a greater area is to be covered.

The discharge-nozzle (shown in Fig. II) consists of an ordinary discharge, over which is fitted a cup-shaped distributing device consisting of an outer cup-shaped portion A, to which is attached an interior cup-shaped portion B, the interior portion rotating within the outer on the pivot a.

O is an annular flange, to which the outer shell Ais attached. The inner shell B is provided onthe inside with a rack Z), with which meshes the pinion b2. This pinion is mounted on the shaft b3, which extends to the outside of the case and is rotated through the beveled gear b4 and the crank b5.

By means of the construction j ust described the inner shell B can be rotated within the outer shell A. These shells are each provided with suitable openings for the discharge of water, and the amount of water discharged and the size of the openings are regulated by the adjustment of' the inner shell, whereby the openings are increased or decreased.

I do not limit myself to the form of nozzle shown, as any forrn may be employed which will break up the heavy stream of water and cause it to expand into a moving' cloud or spray. The requisites are simply to fill the space in front of the firemen with a large volume of water divided into as fine particles or streams as possible. The result of the operation of such a stream is to move t-he smoke immediately in front of the firemen in the opposite direction and away from them and to a large degree to precipitate the same with the water, it being a well-known fact that a fine spray of water will precipitate the particles of carbon constituting the smoke. At the same time that the forward-moving cloud of water precipitates the smoke it likewise forms an impenetrable wall between the firemen and the heat, through which the heat will not radiate.

My invention is for use in all cases where fire is found to be burning and not located, as the advance of the fireman with the heavy spray drives the smoke before him until the fire is located and the great extension of the spray covers the iire wherever located, and if it is surrounding the room 'as on the wall, or ceiling, it is met by the cloud wherever it may be. v

I do not claim for my device that it will ex- IOO tinguish a heavy ire in its last stages; but where it is confined to the room or rooms that may be approached by the firemen it can be reached much easier in this Way than by the use of a heavy stream thrown at random through the smoke and with much less danger of scattering the re when found by the stream.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. A rain-nozzle consisting of an outer and an inner perforated distiibutingshell, said shells arranged concentric to each other and in juxtaposition, a rack on one of said shells, a pinion suitably mounted, meshing therewith and means for rotating said pinion, whereby one of said shells may be rotated EDWARD CROCHER-ON.

Witnesses:

S. E. THOMAS, FRANK DUWE. 

